ASUS pauses smartphone expansion to focus on AI and robotics
ASUS has confirmed it will not expand its smartphone lineup this year, instead shifting its strategic focus toward artificial intelligence-driven hardware and robotics amid fierce competition and market changes.
Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer ASUS has announced that it will not launch new smartphones in 2026, signalling a central strategic pivot away from mobile devices and toward artificial intelligence-driven products and robotics.
Chairman Jonney Shih confirmed at a company event that ASUS will redirect research and development resources previously earmarked for phones into AI hardware such as robotics, AI glasses and commercial PCs.
The move comes amid a hyper-competitive global smartphone market and supply-chain pressures, such as rising memory costs, that make handset manufacturing less attractive than high-growth AI sectors.
ASUS will continue to support existing smartphone users with warranty and software updates, but does not plan to introduce new phone models in the foreseeable future.
Industry observers say this shift reflects broader trends in consumer electronics, where traditional phone makers are seeking growth by leveraging AI innovation and emerging device categories.
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